Project Overview

The Wilmington MPO, in partnership with the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County, developed a Comprehensive Greenway Plan in 2012. The planning process began in January 2012, followed by three public workshops in April 2012, where project planners presented the current opportunities and constraints for greenway development. In summer and fall 2012, the draft plan was developed and refined based on public input (over 3,600 comment forms), committee input, stakeholder input, field research, existing plans, and the opportunities and constraints for greenway development. The final steps included final presentations and plan adoption in 2013.

Project Vision

This plan provides a framework for local governments and project partners to establish a comprehensive network of greenways. Greenways are corridors of land recognized for their ability to connect people and places together. Most greenways contain walking and bicycling trails (called blueways when they feature canoeing and kayaking) that enhance opportunities for multi-modal transportation and recreation.

These ribbons of open space are located within linear corridors that are either natural, such as rivers and streams, or manmade, such as railroad corridors and utility corridors. As vegetated buffers, greenways also protect natural habitats, improve water quality and reduce the impacts of flooding in floodplain areas. Altogether, the many functions that greenways serve will benefit all involved: From residents to visitors, and from local businesses to the natural environment, an expanded and interconnected system of greenways will improve overall quality of life.